Strength, Tenacity, and Waypoint - Lisa's Journey

“I don’t know what I would do without Waypoint. If I didn’t have the child care they provide, I wouldn’t be able to work toward a better life for my family,” Lisa Wilcox said.

A single-mother of four, Lisa had her hands full with the daily duties of work and family. Lisa’s children have attended Waypoint child care programs for 11 years through the School Age Kids program, as well as the Uptown Kids Child Development Center. “I have been so pleased with all my children have learned at Waypoint. They really prepare them for Kindergarten and provide great opportunities during their school age years. And I am so grateful for the financial assistance my family has received through the years,” says Lisa.

Providing for four children is difficult and Lisa always knew she wanted to improve her education to provide more for her family. She had always dreamed of becoming a nurse like her mother. However, with the cost of child care stretching beyond her family budget, she wasn’t sure her dream would ever be realized.

“When I was laid off from my job in 2008,” Lisa said, “I decided to go for it and I signed up for classes. I felt like I could do it because I had the support from Waypoint, but it was a bumpy road to assure that my child care assistance would remain.”

Lisa was happy to hear that her algebra credit transferred over from Kirkwood, but that left her just shy of the number of classes she needed to qualify for assistance for full-time child care from the Department of Human Services (DHS). “I was so upset,” said Lisa. “I broke down in Jackie Lee’s office (the accounting manager at Waypoint). She did everything she could to help me.”

Jackie Lee connected Lisa with Terri Godwin, the Waypoint Family Support Specialist, who helped Lisa enroll in Waypoint’s sliding fee program. The program, which goes above and beyond DHS, offers discounted child care based on income and number of children in a family. Fees for the program start as low as $45 a week and increase in correspondence with family circumstances.

Eventually, Waypoint helped Lisa work everything out so that she could afford child care and stay in school. “They were so accommodating and I felt such support as I ventured out to pursue my education,” said Lisa.

According to Jackie, “Lisa has shown a lot of strength and tenacity through the years, working through many obstacles that have been thrown at her.”

“School has been challenging,” says Lisa. “Each term they tell you, this term will be your hardest, and it just keeps going. Thank goodness that I have Waypoint because child care is something I don’t have to stress over because I always feel like my kids are in good hands.”

Waypoint child care programs offer a structured environment, using nationally-identified curriculums called the Creative Curriculum® for infants – age five and The 40 Developmental Assets® for school age children. Waypoint child care programs are dedicated to providing a high quality, nurturing environment where children are encouraged to reach their fullest potential in all areas of development. Out of 520 children enrolled in Waypoint child care programs, 120 children receive financial assistance to attend.

Lisa said she has enjoyed how her children excel in school. “My seven year old, Alliyah, learned everything at Waypoint. Every day during her toddler and preschool years, she would come home and just amaze me with what she was learning. Right now she’s in the first grade and doing fifth grade math. And my four year old, Xander, has grown so much this year in the preschool program,” Lisa said.

Lisa attributes this academic success both to the program at Waypoint and to the warm environment provided by the teachers and staff.

According to Lisa, “Xander always wants to go to Waypoint each morning, and never wants to leave at night. He loves his teachers, his friends, the activities, the gym…everything. The teachers really pay attention to children as individuals.”

As Lisa prepares to take her nursing boards, she said that child care is the one thing she doesn’t have to worry about. “Figuring out all the different avenues for discounted child care can be so complicated and time-consuming. At Waypoint, though, they help you through the process. I’m not quite sure how they managed it. All I know is because of them, my kids are thriving, and so am I.”